Support structure for condenser tubes



Jan. 5, 1932. F. L. YETTER SUPPQRT STRUCTURE FQR CONDENSER TUBES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. v 3 a w 1% w 1 2mm 0 0 m I In 0 o o m o o O w 0O 1 O C 000 2 v 000 000 0 5 o o o o o o oo o o o o o o Q N 1U o o a o o o oo o member MELQW Jan. vs, 1932. F. L. YETTER 1,839,910

SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR CONDENSER TUBES Filed Nov. 18, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 C O EXOOOOOO I "IIIIIIIIIIIIIII V Patented Jan. 5, 1932 UNITED s'rArns ATENT orrica FRANK L. YETTEB, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASHE-NOR 10 0. H. ILANUFACTUBING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA; .L COB-MB! 0F. PENNSYLVANIA SUPE'OBT STRUCTURE FOR OONIDENSE rum: i

Application flied liovember 18,1980. lerial Io. 498,871.

My invention relates to surface condensers, and particularly to that type in which the tubes are connected with or attached .to the tube sheets in such way that bending or disalignment of the tubes tends to open the.

joint between them and the tube sheets with resultant leakage.

In accordance with my invention, there is provided for the condenser'tubes a support structure or plate through which the condenser tubes extend, and which is yieldingly or movably mounted within the condenser shell or housing, to cause or permit, upon expansion or contraction of the tubes due to temperature changes, the tubes to bend in such direction and to such extent as to minimize tendency of the joints between the tubes and their sheets to open or become displaced,

with resultant leakage through the tube sheets around the tubes.

Further in accordance with my invention, the supporting structure or plate may be divided a plurality .of sections, yieldingly or movably mounted as aforesaid, and yieldingly connected to or biased with respect to each other.

Further in accordance with my invention, two or more tube supporting structures or plates may be utilized. suitably s aced from each other between the tube s eets; and more particularly, there may be utilized also a further fixed tube supporting plate disposed within the condenser shell at a suitable point between the tube sheets, or at a suit able point between the aforesaid tube supporting structures or plates.

My invention resides in features of structure and arrangement as hereinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding of my invention, and for an illustration 0i some of the various forms it may take,reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig.1 is a vertical sectional View, partly in elevation, of a condenser shell within which is disposed the tube supporting structure or plate.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of one of the tube supporting plates, looking in the direction of the arrows 2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a condenser, partly in horizontal section a and partly in plan, on the line .3--3 of Fig. 1, illustrating an a plication of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a ,g'agmentary sectional view showing a rolled joint between a condenser tube and its tube sheet.

Fig. '5 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of a condensershell within which is disposed a modified form of a tube supporting structure.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, O is the shell of a surface condenser, having at a suitable region in its length an upwardly extendin portion 1 having the large port 2 throng which enters the exhaust steam or other vapor to be condensed.

As "usual, the steam or vaor passes between and around the many tu t extendin longitudinally in the shell, parallel to see other, and in number largely filling the cross section of the shelL At the ends of the shell, as indicated in Fig. 3, are the cooling water boxes .13, B1 between which and the interior of the shell are as usual the tube sheets T, '1 throu h which the several tubes .t connect with t e water boxes.

The connection of each tube 2! to the tube sheet T may be of various types. .However, the present invention is principally, though not exclusively, concerned with that type of connection in which there is little or no movement as between the tubes and the tube sheet upon expansion or contraction of the tubes. In general, the type of connection more particularly referred to may be styled a rigid or fixed connection. For examp' e, and preferably, the type of connection is such as illustrated in Fig. 4, where each tube It extends through an aperture in the tube sheet T.

The aperture is enlarged somewhat as indicated at a, and the tube is rolled in the region indicated at 22 into firm or substantially rigid engagement with the sheet T forming a fluid-tight joint.

In the operation of a surface condenser the tubes t are compelled to partake of considerable changes in temperature due to diflerent operating conditions and due to mischances.

For example,if the supply of cooling medium fails or decreases, the tube t will rise in temperature, expand in length, and tend to rupture the joint between it and the tube sheet T. Ifthis, shw duccur there maybe leaka e ofco'oling wateror of air into. the interior 0 the condenser, which is generally under vacuum or subatmospheric "pressure. Genera'll y," hoij'lin'g wateriswater from an or? din'ary water'suppl "or from the sea,- andin either case, if it lea s into the interior of the condenser, it contaminates the condensate.

Or and upon rupture of the joint of the tube t with ifthe cooling water su ply should fail thetube-sheet T, air or other gaseous medium will lefktinto the vacuum system, disadvan Ii -expanding under abnormally hightern-'- peraturei ai long tube t tends to buckle on becomedisaligned',and the shape of-the tube departs from its usual=or normal straight formto-an irregularbend or sinuous form.

Toipermit the tubes t to expand, but never.-

- theless to control the deformation resulting.

from their expansion, confining them to a form which Elias. minimum tendency to open tli'joints between the tubes and their tube sheets, I providewithin the condenser shell".

a support structure-for the tubes, preferably int-he formof-a plate or plates. As indicated in Fig. 3, these support plates or structuresare shown at S, .S, in this instance two iii-number: Betweenthem ma he provided a support structure or late fixed in imposition with respect to t e shell C, and through a ertures in which the tubes tfextend with sli g fit.

Figsgh upon expansion oftubes If they will the lett hand-tube sheet T and-the yielding or moving support structure or plates S are two in num her substantially the same transverse planet-They have asl'many apertures c as tliere aretuhe's t, which extend through these apertureswith a sliding fit; Each of the platesior sup rts' S -hasia su'sbtantially straight or her1zontal portion d, at its lower end, adaptedto rest and ride upon -a rollere pivoted 1m: a bracket fv secureduponthe bottom of the shell-(l. Each ofthe support plates S is preferably provided also with a shoulder or lug g resting upon a roller h'carried in a bracket 2', secured upon the interior ofthe shell G. On their adjacent sides the support plates S are provided with the bracketsj through 'whichextend the rod is upon which-rare threadednuts m between which airfind its way into eit er box B or B1,-

sto the aforesaid simple and the brackets j are compressed the spiral springs 8. As indicated in Fig. 1, there may be provided a plurality of pairs of these brackets and spring assemblies. The springs bias the tube ---support structures or plates S toward each other; the springs stend to draw the plates S, S toward each other. As the tubes t expand or contract as aforesaid, they do so in generally the-same way,

and in unisoiuisince they arecoupled by the support structures or plates S, whichi'n-turn, under expansive or contractive movement of the tubes, move upon their roller supports a and k, thereby yielding or moving with respect to the shell C. I

The supporting-plate structure in fact controls the expansion and contraction of thev tubes in-such way asto-minimize their tendency to become loosened at their joints in the tube sheets T. r The springs s are adjusted to such compressional tension that they move the supports S slightly but nevertheless sufficiently, to cause the. bend in all the, tubes of'each, group passing through their support to be substantially inthe same direction, and each to bend awaylfrom the shell in a simple are, whereby each of the tubes will be caused to have the same degree of deflection under the influence of temperature "change. I

By a structure of this character, the joints 1 of the tubes in their sheets T are maintained tight while nevertheless allowing the unavoidable expansion or contraction of the tubes. While, as stated, the so-called rolled joints arepreferred, itwill-be understood that my invention is applicable as well to situations where the joints between tubes an'd' their tube sheetsmay be of several types. 1 In general, and without limiting my invention thereto, it may be stated that my structure is applicable more particularlyto condensers in which the tubes connect with their tube sheets in joints of a rigid type or those which do not employ the usualpackings. Y

:In Fig. 5 the structure is generically the same as that illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and? The tube supporting structure or plate S is inthis case unitary, as may often be the case where the condensers are of moderate or small capacity. The plate S again has a sub stantially horizontal ed at its bottom hearing upon rollers 008.!11ed by the bracket 7 secured upon the interior of the shell C. It may be provided also with the shoulder or edge 9 bearing upon the roller it carried by the bracket i secured upon the interior of the shell C. The plate-S is biased toward the right by the 3 ring 8' disposed between the, nut m and the racket 7' secured to the plate S.. The nut or head m is adjustabl mounted as in the case of Fig. 1 upon a k, which in this case is pivoted. at o to the bracket p secured upon the interior of the shell C. In'

general, the operation: is the same as that above described in connection with Figs. 1,

2 and 3.

' What I claim is:

1. The combination with a condenser comprising spaced tube sheets and tubes extendmg between said sheets and having joints.

.ing between said sheets and having joints therewith, of movable tube supporting structure between said tube sheets, and means slidably supporting said supporting structure upon the condenser, and means for biasing said supporting structure in such direction as to cause each of the tubes to have the same degree of deflection under the influence of temperature change.

3. The combination with a condenser comprising spaced tube sheets and tubes extendmg between said sheets and having joints therewith, of tube supporting structure between said tube sheets, means slidably supporting said supporting structure upon the condenser, and means biasing said supporting structure in a direction which causes each of the tubes to have the same degree of defiection under the influence of'temperature chan it. as combination with a condenser comprising spaced tube sheets and tubes extendmg between said sheets and having joints therewith, of tube supporting structure be tween said tube sheets, and a rolling support for said supporting structure upon the condenser.

5. The combination with a condenser comprising spaced tube sheets and tubes extending between said sheets and having joints therewith, of tube supporting members disposed between said tube sheets and movably mounted upon the condenser, and a yielding cennection between said members acting in such direction as to cause each of the tubes passi through said su porting members to have t e same degree 0 deflection under the influence of temperature change.

6. The combination with a condenser comprising spaced tube sheets and tubes extend I mg between said sheets and having joints therewith, of tube su porting members disposed between said tu sheets and movably mounted so as to travel in a straight line, and

' a resilient connection between said members prising s aced tube sheets and tubes extending between said sheets and having joints therewith, of tube supportin plates disposed substantially in the same p ane between said tube sheets and having apertures through which the tubes extend, and means for movably mounting said plates upon the condenser, and means for biasing said plates so that each tube will have the same amount of bias andin the same direction as each of the other tubes passing through the same supporting plate.-

8. The combination with a condenser comprising spaced tube sheets and tubes extendmg between said sheets and having joints therewith, of tube supporting plates dis-.

posed substantially in the same plane between said tube sheets and having apertures throu h which the tubes extend, means for mova ly mounting said plates to travel in a straight line, and a yieldin connection between the adjacent edges 0 said plates for biasing the same.

9. The combination with a condenser comprising spaced tube sheets and tubes extending between said sheets and havin joints therewith, of tube supporting plates isposed substantially in the same plane between said tube sheets and havin apertures throu h which the tubes exten means for movab y mounting said plates to move horizontally upon the condenser, and a resilient connection between the adjacent edges of said plates for biasing the same.

10. The combination with a condenser comprising spaced tube sheets and tubes extendmg between said sheets and having joints therewith, of a member fixed with respect to the condenser and disposed between said tube sheets and through which the tubes extend for defining a fixed point for each tube on either side of which it may bend under the influence of temperature chan e, and tube supporting structure between sai plate and one of said tube sheets movably mounted with respect to the condenser.

11. The combination with a condenser comprising spaced tube sheets and tubes extending between said sheets and having joints therewith, of a late fixed with respect to the condenser and disposed between said tube sheets and through which the tubes extend for defining a fixed point for each tube on either side of which it may bend under the porting structures between said plate and said tube sheets on opposite sides of said 7 plate, and means movably mounting said supporting structures upon the CODdGIlSGL,

12. The combination with a condenser comprising spaced tube sheets and tubes extendmg between said sheets and having joints therewith, of a member fixed with respect to the condenser and disposed between said tube sheets and through which the tubes extend for defining a fixed point for each tube on either side of which it may bend under the influence of temperature change, and tube supporting structure between said plate and one of said tube sheets movably mounted to travel in a straight line and in a transverse direction with respect to the tubes, and means for biasing said su porting structure, whereby each of the tubes passin therethrou h will have the same degree of eflection un er the influence of temperature chan 13. The combination with a con enser comprising spaced tube sheets and tubes extendmg between said sheets and having joints therewith, of a plate fixed with respect to the condenser and disposed, between said tube sheets and through which the tubes extend for defining a fixed point for each tube on either side of which it may bend under the influence of tem rature change, tube supporting structures tween said p ate and said tube sheets on opposite sides of said plate, and means movably mounting said su porting structures and adapted to travel m a straight line and in a transverse direction with respect to the tubes, and means for biasing said supporting structures so that the tubes will have the same degree of deflection under the influence of tem rature chan FR L. YE R. 

